Dental Implants – Fort Worth, TX

Why Are Dental Implants So Popular?

Dental implants are incredibly popular because of the many health, beauty, and functional benefits they bring our patients. Primarily, dental implants are the only tooth replacements that preserve your jawbone by stimulating it to prevent deterioration after tooth loss. Additionally, dental implants look, feel, and function just like your natural teeth, making it easy to smile, laugh, and chew with confidence. Plus, with proper care, your implants can last for a lifetime.

Does It Hurt to Get Dental Implants?

Because dental implants require oral surgery, many automatically assume that the procedure is painful. However, those who have received implants relate the surgery to simple tooth extraction. In fact, Dr. Patel will ensure that you’re numb and comfortable before beginning, offering sedation dentistry as a way to relax.

How Long Does It Take to Get Dental Implants?

The dental implant process may take longer than other options, but the results are always worth it. After your surgery, you will undergo a recovery period of about 3 to 4 months. This healing process is called osseointegration, allowing the biocompatible implants to completely fuse to your jawbone. This creates extra stable and lifelike supports for your restoration, giving you a smile that looks and feels great.

How Will Implants Affect My Life?

Dental implants will change your life if you’re missing most of your teeth by restoring your ability to eat as well as your confidence to grin. However, another advantage of dental implants is that they seamlessly blend into your smile. If you only need one tooth replaced, a single-tooth dental implant looks and feels like your natural teeth, making it incredibly easy to adjust to life with implants. Just be sure to brush and floss your teeth regularly like you would your natural smile.

What Are the Best Ways to Maintain My Dental Implants?

One of the ways that dental implants in Primrose differ from other replacements like dentures is that they actually become part of your smile, which is why they require care like the rest of your teeth. Be sure to brush twice a day and floss once to remove plaque and bacteria. You can also use a water flosser—a precise stream of water that can help clear out food debris and lingering plaque.

How Long Do Dental Implants Last?

With proper care, you can expect dental implants to last 30 years or more. And while your restoration (crown, bridge, denture, etc.) may go as far as several decades, the metal posts themselves can last a lifetime! This makes dental implants a much more worthwhile investment compared to traditional options like dentures and bridges, as you won’t have to replace them as often.

However, their longevity all depends on your oral health and lifestyle choices. If you want to make the most of your treatment, you’ll need to practice good oral hygiene, including brushing, flossing, and rinsing with mouthwash every day. Visiting your dentist for checkups and cleanings and avoiding foods that are too hard or sticky will help you preserve your dental implants for much longer.

What Can Cause Dental Implants to Fail?

Though this is uncommon, a dental implant can fail due to primarily two reasons: peri-implantitis and failed osseointegration. The former is a type of periodontal disease that typically develops from poor oral hygiene, damaging the gums and bone supporting the implant in the process. A failed osseointegration is when the implant does not properly bond with the jawbone, especially if the patient didn’t have a sufficient amount of bone density at the start of their treatment.

In other cases, a dental implant can be unsuccessful due to tobacco use, chronic teeth grinding, radiation to the neck and head, certain medications, and health conditions like diabetes, autoimmune disorders, and cancer. Your dentist will walk you through a guideline on how to minimize your risk of implant failure.  

Can I Get Dental Implants If I Smoke?

While it’s possible to get dental implants if you smoke, you’ll have a significantly lower chance of successful treatment. Smoking, chewing, or even vaping tobacco can cause dry mouth, which can both allow harmful bacteria to grow and slow down your healing process, interfering with the implants’ ability to bond with your jawbone. This habit can also result in dry socket, an incredibly uncomfortable condition that can end up dislodging the necessary blood clot forming over the implant site. If you tend to smoke, you should consider quitting altogether to ensure your results remain in pristine condition for many years to come. If this isn’t possible, be sure to at least quit two weeks before your procedure and wait two to three months afterward before resuming.

How Long Does It Take to Recover from Dental Implant Surgery?

Though dental implant surgery requires an extensive process, you should be capable of returning to your normal activities the day after your appointment. Be sure to refrain from strenuous exercise for at least the first week or so, as you won’t want to interfere with or delay your healing. Any bleeding should usually stop after the first two days, which can easily be managed with gauze pads, and swelling should go away after three to four days. Feel free to take prescribed or over-the-counter pain relievers as instructed. After about six months or so, your implants should integrate successfully with your jawbone.